The Waiariki electorate has spoken and it has chosen Tamati Coffey.
Labour's Coffey is the new Waiariki MP with incumbent Te Ururoa Flavell out of Parliament - along with the Maori Party.
A tearful Flavell, his party's co-leader, has just given a concession speech at Waiteti Marae thanking his supporters.
"The people have spoken . . . and I can't get away from that."
The crowd at Hinemihi Marae, where Coffey and the Labour Party supporters are gathered, fell silent as they watched Flavell give his concession speech.
Coffey urged his supporters to show respect to his competitor and looked solemn as Flavell wiped the tears from his eyes.
A cheer never came from the crowd and Coffey said it was a big moment.
"I could feel the aroha from his stage," he said.
"As he said, the people have spoken."
Speaking to the Rotorua Daily Post, Coffey said it had been a big night for a lot of people, not just him.
"This win is not just for me. This win is for everybody here and for all the iwi across the Waiariki."
He said he had to be in Auckland at 8am tomorrow so the celebrations wouldn't be too big tonight.
